1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of spas, hot tubs or large whirlpool baths with ledges for seating several people. More particularly, it pertains to a prefabricated apparatus for leveling and supporting the spa and to a method of using the apparatus in the installation of the spa.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spas or hot tubs are becoming more and more popular in private homes, condominiums, and apartments. They seat several people and thus become a center for socialization as well as for warm water hydrotherapy and exuding the benefits of sitting in a tub of warm water while a myriad of air bubbles envelops and massages one's body. In becoming more popular, spas are being made by many manufacturers having different designs and many different accessories.
However, consistent among all spas is the need to support them on a solid level surface and to comply with various building codes in the attachment of electric lines and water lines to the pumps and nozzles of the spa. Notwithstanding the location of the spa, i.e., whether it is set up in a room in the house or in the back yard, the common practice is to pour a pad of cement or concrete, level the top surface thereof, and set the spa on the pad. In addition, many spa owners wish to hide the electric lines and water lines from view so as to make the spa more aesthetically pleasing. This latter practice requires the electrician and the plumber to coordinate their design and their efforts to place their respective utility lines in an area wherein the concrete is to be poured so that, when the spa is set upon the cured concrete, the lines will match up with the connections on the spa itself and be able to be connected thereto without undue looping or swirling of the lines that may ruin the pleasing look of the finished spa.
Many spas are purchased on impulse at retail events, home & garden shows and fairs where many of them are set out for display accompanied by attentive salespersons. This impulse to purchase an appliance, for the relief of stress, for romance, and for treating the symptoms of arthritis, carries through to the swift delivery of the unit to the buyer's home and the expectation of quick installation for near-immediate use. Imagine the surprise to the buyer when they are informed that they will need to have a cement and/or concrete slab poured, usually six to ten feet square and from three to six inches thick. This requires the services of a contractor, the likelihood of having to obtain a building permit, and a cement curing time of three to four days. Even worse, the installation process cannot be started until the buyer selects an appropriate site for the spa along with the hope that unforseen circumstances do not require it to be moved to a different location thus requiring the entire pad-pouring process to be repeated.
Often, this delay in installation cools the ardor of the spa buyer such that, after waiting the 7 to 8 days for the concrete pad to be designed, laid out, piped with electric and possibly water lines, the concrete poured and cured, and spending upwards of $600 to $1200 to have all that work done, the spa is no longer as appealing with the family as it originally was. This disappointment passes on to neighbors and friends and can work against the popularity of further sales of spas.
Accordingly, there is a significant need for another way to install and support a spa that is not a laden with the disadvantages that go with a poured concrete pad as outlined above.